Lust It: 24-Karat Gold Infused Leather Handbags and Furs

Italian luxury brand Mi Piaci has patented a nanotechnology that manipulates 24-karat gold and infuses it into a luxury collection of fur and leather goods. The revolutionary technique has been named Precious Surface, and unlike the topical treatments of gold foiling or gold leafing, it actually infuses real gold directly into the textile, creating a surface that is quite literally worth its weight in gold.

Most Popular

"Each type of surface takes various amounts of gold to achieve the best results," managing director Mackenzie Valk told ELLE.com. "Our team of artisans have spent years honing this skill and come from lifetimes spent in the fashion and jewelry industries."

The process begins with gold bullion slabs. Then, gold atoms blend with the surface of the materials, leaving the texture of the silk, fur, or leather unaltered minus a new solid gold color.

"Our customer is looking for something new, something exciting, a way to differentiate themselves in a marketplace that is overly saturated with handbags clad with designer logos," Valk said. The range includes classic top-handle carriers, sleek clutches ($1,695–$17,495), and leather-and-alligator cuffs ($265-$465). The fur collection (starts at $20,000) was designed in collaboration with Roberto Masci, a Chanel and Fendi fur veteran, and consists of one-of-a-kind fur coats, jackets, gloves, handbags, and scarves. The brand has done one-off custom gold furs for Fendi and custom gold handbags for Gucci, but this is their first marketable retail collection.